Out CA State Sen. Mark Leno has authored SB 54, a bill that would allow California to recognize same-sex marriages from other states and countries.
According to The Sacramento Bee, while equal marriage opponents claim that the bill violates Proposition 8, Leno argues the California Supreme Court’s nuanced decision to uphold Proposition 8 only upheld the “right” of voters to ban same-sex couples from marriage. The court also recognized and upheld same-sex marriages performed prior to Prop. 8. Since the high court did not address out-of-state marriages in the ruling, Leno believes the law, if passed, would be valid.
“Proposition 8 passes,” Leno said. “But there are two men who live in San Francisco who pay their taxes, work and got married legally in Massachusetts. What are they? Legal strangers? Clearly, there is a legislative need to clarify this.”
